Airport workers receive JetBlue flight 387 holding a United States, and a Cuban national flag, on the airport tarmac in Santa Clara, Cuba, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016. JetBlue 387, the first commercial flight between the U.S. and Cuba in more than a half century, landed in the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half-century landed in the central city of Santa Clara. This was on August 31. The flight established regular air service between the countries. Regular service ended more than 50 years ago.

Cheers broke out in the cabin of JetBlue flight 387. The passengers were mostly airline executives, U.S. government officials and journalists. In addition, there was a sprinkling of Cuban-American families and U.S. travelers. They were given gift bags with Cuban cookbooks, commemorative luggage tags and Cuban flags. The visitors were encouraged to wave the flags.

The arrival of the flight to Santa Cruz came from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It opens a new era of U.S.-Cuba travel. Soon, about 300 flights a week will connect the U.S. with the island nation. It has been cut off from most Americans. That is because of a 55-year-old trade embargo on Cuba. There also has been a formal ban on U.S. citizens visiting the island as tourists.

The first flights will go to Havana and Santa Cruz in Cuba. Havana is the country's capital.

"Seeing the American airlines landing routinely around the island will drive a sense of openness, integration and normality. That has a huge psychological impact," said Richard Feinberg. He is an author. He wrote a new book. It is titled, "Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy."

The U.S. Department of Transportation said in a statement that American airlines will serve Havana from several airports. These include Atlanta, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, Orlando and Tampa.

Airlines are obligated to begin flights within 90 days. That will be right after Thanksgiving. But they may begin earlier. Delta said it would launch daily service December 1. Delta flights will be from Atlanta, Miami and New York's John F. Kennedy Airport. Flights will go on sale September 10.

Spirit also said it aims to run twice-a-day flights. They will go to Havana. Those will begin December 1. Spirit will fly from Fort Lauderdale.

The restart of commercial travel between the two countries is one of the most important steps in a plan by President Barack Obama. He wants to normalize relations with Cuba. Historians disagree on the exact date of the last commercial flight. It appears to have been after Cuba banned incoming flights. That was during the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Secretary of State John Kerry said on Twitter that the last commercial flight was in 1961.

On August 31, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes addressed passengers on board the 150-seat Airbus A320. They were headed to Cuba. The plane was staffed by a specially selected five-member crew. They were Cuban-Americans. Airline executives changed from American business attire into loose-fitting Cuban-style shirts before landing.

One passenger was Neta Rodriguez. She is a 62-year-old Havana-born South Florida homemaker. She checked in with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandsons. They planned to visit family in Santa Clara and Havana.

She said she appreciated the $200 price. She also liked the ability to book online. U.S. travel to Cuba is on track to triple this year. The number could reach more than 300,000 visitors. Cuba's cash-starved economy has been bolstered by the boom in U.S. visitors.

Commercial flights are expected to significantly increase the number of American visitors. It is not clear by how much. Many of the air routes are currently used by charter flights. They are expensive. These are largely expected to go out of business with the regularly scheduled service from the U.S.

Hundreds of thousands of Cuban-born Americans fly to the island each year. They have been forced to use chaotic, understaffed charter companies. These require four-hour check-in waits. They charge high rates for any luggage in excess of baggage allowances. Americans without ties to Cuba have found it hard to negotiate the charters. Most of them don't accept online bookings or help travelers navigate the federal affidavit still required for U.S. travelers to Cuba.

Some experts believe the drastic reduction in the difficulty of flying to Cuba could turn the surge in U.S. visitors into a tidal wave. Americans are allowed to visit the island on "people-to-people" cultural and educational visits.